


To Kalevala

by Lunarium



Category: Year in Hereafter (Webcomic)
Genre: Gen, Some Humor, Underworld
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-29
Updated: 2017-10-29
Packaged: 2019-01-26 10:12:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 474
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12555156
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lunarium/pseuds/Lunarium
Summary: Well, I'm dead, Sakari supposed.





	To Kalevala

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Burning_Nightingale](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Burning_Nightingale/gifts).



“What, I _died?_ ” 

Sakari rose up to his feet and glanced about himself. All sight of Hiidenkirnu's swamp had fallen away. He found himself staring at a world he had never been to before. 

“Inkeri?” he called out uncertainly. “Johannes?” When neither called back, he studied the world about him again. “This isn’t the swamp at all. I…I must have died.” 

The distant light parted the heavy fog to reveal a tall woman in the middle of a ferry. Sakari’s heart sank at the realization. 

“Yep. Dead.” 

He knew the lore of his people well enough to know the name of the woman who approached him. His mother had drilled the stories into all their skulls at every chance she got. As part of their family heritage, she had deemed it imperative for them all to know the lore of Kalevala as well as they knew their own magic. 

“I thought dying would be worse,” Sakari mumbled to himself as he rubbed his arms. “I don’t even remember much of it. Maybe it’s better that way, like better not to remember being born. A gift from the gods. Now I can get on with the next stage of…of existing, I suppose.” 

The thought of the family he would be leaving behind sent a jolt of heavy pain through him, and he nearly doubled over and cried, but he held himself. 

“No, what happened has happened! No use fighting this! I had my chance…” 

The ferryboat docked, and the woman regarded him solemnly. Her eyes shone like the night, her hair as calm and blue as the sea. Sakari tried not to focus on the horns. Tytti was nothing like the depictions by human artists; she was both more lovely and more terrible at the same time. Her lips, blue and inviting. Blue like the lips of those dying…

Sakari drew in a deep breath and approached. He nearly tripped and ended up landing with his elbows on the edge of the boat. He glanced up at Tytti with the biggest grin. 

“Hello there beautiful, do you come to sail away with me to faraway lands?” 

Tytti regarded him, bemused for a moment, before cracking into a small laugh. 

“Most who come here weep upon my knee, but I seldom ever encounter one who approached his demise with such humor.” 

“Well, you don’t die every day, so this is quite the occasion!” Sakari said happily as he boarded the ferryboat. “Where will it be? Will I be speaking with any Master Swan or the Swan Queen or—?” 

“You are heading straight for Kalevala,” Tytti said. “It is a city in the far north. You will find many lively folk there, and perhaps a home for yourself.” 

“Oh…this isn’t a land for the dead?” 

Tytti smiled and cast off his boat to sail.


End file.
